This is a practice descriptive piece for CIE 9093 English Language – Paper 2. The prompt is:
Write a descriptive piece about a crowded market or bazaar. In your writing, create a sense of atmosphere, and focus on smell, sound, and movement.
The silence before the sun crested the horizon was a fragile thing, broken only by the rhythmic scrape of carts on cobblestones and the quiet buzz of conversation. Down on Al-Hibah Street, a train of vendors filed in, excitedly discussing the upcoming day. With a rustle, cloths vendors unfurled their wares, painting the dull red of the brick with a vibrant festival of colours. Their carpets and rugs flapped in the wind, a cascade of ochre and crimson spilling and tumbling over itself, a midair dance of fabric. The fruits sellers trudged in next, carrying barrels laden with all sorts of exotic fruits, freshly picked that morning. Their stalls became splashes of colours in their own right, dotting the scene with the bright colours of dragonfruits and tangerines. Their fragrance, a sticky sweetness that hung in the morning air, filled the street. The street chefs brought their racks of candied and smoked meats, beef and pork and chicken glistening and glimmering in the dim light. Their smells warred with the fruits, until all one could smell was a delectable blend of sweet and savoury, tantalizingly close.
The sun rose, and with it, the world. The first shoppers drifted in like the first scattered leaves of autumn, eager to complete their transactions before the bazaar became too busy. They purchased their breakfasts, and the aroma of frying flatbreads hung in the air like a thick, savoury fog. By the time more shoppers had arrived, they were already laden with heavy bags, almost bursting at the seams, stuffed with all manner of fruits and other wares. The bazaar quickly became jam-packed, a flood of commoners all raring to buy goods. The street almost seemed to shrink against the onslaught of people, the crowd all stepping and swaying, as if in time to some silent song. They jostled past each other, barking at the vendors, haggling and bargaining to get the best deal possible. Al-Hibah street was soon filled with the cacophany of commerce and the heavy scent of roasting nuts, adding yet another layer to the delicate aroma that hung in the air.
As the day fell to night, the shouting and laughter began to give way to the satisfaction of a day well done. The cool wind fluttered through the street, dispersing the crowds, the packed walkway becoming sparse with people. The noisy din of haggling and bartering faded away. The fruits vendors, tired and relieved after a day of work, heaved a sigh and trudged out of the market, hauling their empty barrels behind them. The cloths sellers took down their rugs and carpets and intricate tapestries, leaving only the dull red of the brick, weathered and dirty in the sunset. The meats vendors stopped their grills, racks empty and barren, and dismantled their elaborate displays. The cobblestone road beneath them was splattered with a sheen of fresh grease and meat drippings. At last, all were gone, leaving Al-Hibah Street deserted, leaving only the remnants of the busy day littered about. A gust of wind blows through, and abandoned napkins are kicked into the air and dance, drifting and pirouetting midair. The scent of the market faded into the tranquil night. The street breathes a sigh of relief, and all is well.
Leave a Reply